Composite grip for golf clubs

ABSTRACT

A golf club grip made up of a composite strip that includes a first segment having a felt layer to the upper surface of which is bonded a polyurethane that is embossed with a friction enhancing pattern and a second segment having a felt layer to the upper surface of which is bonded a layer of polyurethane. Decorative indicia are embossed on the upper surface area of the polyurethane layer of the second segment. When the strip is spirally wrapped about a resilient underlisting sleeve or directly about the handle of a golf club the embossed friction enhancing pattern cooperates with the decorative indicia to increase the hoop strength of the strip reducing the tendency of the strip to unravel.

RELATED U.S. APPLICATION DATA

This application is a continuation in part of Ser. No. 09/909,347 filedby me Jul. 18, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,629,901, a continuation-in-partof Ser. No. 09/705,376 filed by me Oct. 30, 2000, now abandoned, and acontinuation-in-part of Ser. No. 10/077,097, filed Feb. 15, 2002, nowU.S. Pat. No. 6,641,488.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an improved golf club grip.

Applicant has previously developed resilient grips which successfullyreduce shock to the muscle and arm joints of the users of golf clubs,tennis racquets, racquet ball racquets, baseball bats and other impactimparting devices. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,813 granted toapplicant Aug. 25, 1998. Such earlier grips utilize a polyurethane layerbonded to a felt layer to define a strip which is spirally wrappedaround the handle of a golf club, racquet or the like to conform to theexternal configuration or such handle. In certain of such grips thesides of the felt layer taper from the side edges of the strip and thepolyurethane layer is formed with recessed reinforcement side edgeswhich overlap to form a water retarding joint between the side edges ofthe strip as the strip is wrapped around the handle or over a resilientsleeve telescopically carried by the golf club handle. A problem commonto polyurethane-felt golf club grips is the tendency of the side edgesof the polyurethane-felt grips to unravel over a period of use fromstretching of the strip as well as by frictional contact of the exteriorof the grip with a golf bag as a golf club is removed from and returnedinto such golf bag.

Another problem is that such grips are prone to absorbing water.Accordingly, the grip will tend to absorb the perspiration from theuser's hand and may become saturated during play thereby causingslippage of the golf club in the user's hands. The same problem occursunder wet conditions such as when playing golf in the rain. The golferthen either stops playing, or alternatively continues his game withreduced pleasure because of slippage of the grip in his hands.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Applicant has developed an improved shock resistant golf club griputilizing a polyurethane-felt strip made up of two segments. Eachsegment is preferably of a different width. The upper surface of thenarrower segment may be embossed with indicia so as to densify suchsegment and enhance the strength of such segment to thereby provideincreased resistance against the edges of the segments being loosenedfrom a golf club. The upper surface of the wider segment may be embossedwith a friction enhancing pattern engaged by a golfer's hands. Suchembossing densifies the wider segment to further increase resistanceagainst the strip being loosened from a golf club. The two segments maybe of different colors so as to provide a golf club grip of a uniquedecorative appearance.

Additionally, the use of friction enhancing pattern of the wider stripresults provides an all-weather grip which may be used under both wetand dry playing conditions with equally good results. Accordingly, inthe event of rain the golfer can continue to play without slippage ofthe grip within the golfer's hands.

The two-piece strip of the present invention may be spirally wrappedabout a tapered resilient underlisting sleeve, with such sleeve beingslipped onto the handle of a golf club shaft. Alternatively, the stripmay be directly spirally wrapped about the handle of a golf club, tennisracquet or the like. When the two-piece strip is spirally wrapped aboutan underlisting sleeve, the sleeve may be positioned on a collapsiblemandrel to provide a slip-on golf club grip that can be applied to a newgolf club or can be utilized as a replacement golf club grip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is perspective view of a roll of polyurethane-felt materialutilized in making the wider segment of a grip embodying the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view showing the roll of FIG. 1 being dimensionedinto a panel;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view showing a portion of the panel of FIG. 2dimensioned for cutting therefrom a plurality of wider segment stripblanks in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a wider segment strip blank cut from thepanel of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken in enlarged scale along lines5—5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a reduced vertical sectional view showing heat recessedreinforcement side edges being formed in the polyurethane layer of thewider segment strip blank of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken in enlarged scale along line7—7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view showing the side edges of the widersegment strip blank of FIG. 7 being skived to define slanted side edgesin such blank;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a wider segment strip blank before itsupper surface is heat embossed with a friction enhancing pattern;

FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view of a die used to heat emboss theupper surface of the wider segment strip blank with a friction enhancingpattern;

FIG. 11 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 11—11 of FIG. 10

FIG. 12 is a vertical sectional view taken in enlarged scale along line12—12 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged side view of the encircled area 13 in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged top view of the encircled area 14 in FIG. 11;

FIG. 15 is a vertical sectional view of a finished wider segment strip;

FIG. 16 is a broken top plan view of the heat embossed upper surface ofthe wider segment strip of FIG. 15 which has been heat embossed todefine a friction enhancing pattern;

FIG. 17 is a broken bottom view showing a peel-off adhesive tape beingremoved from the underside of the wider segment strip of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a broken top plan view of a narrower polyurethane-felt stripsegment of a golf club grip embodying the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a broken bottom view of the narrower segment of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a vertical sectional view of the wider segment taken inenlarged scale along line 20—20 of FIG. 16;

FIG. 21 is a vertical sectional view of the composite strip taken inenlarged scale along line 21—21 of FIG. 22;

FIG. 22 is a broken top view of the composite strip;

FIG. 23 is a broken bottom view of the composite strip of FIG. 22showing a peel-off tape being removed from the underside of thecomposite strip;

FIG. 24 is a broken side elevational view showing a composite stripembodying the present invention being wrapped around an underlistingsleeve to form a golf club grip;

FIGS. 25 and 26 are broken side elevational views showing the lower endof the composite strip of FIG. 24 being secured to the lower portion ofthe underlisting sleeve; and

FIG. 27 is a perspective view showing a golf club grip embodying thepresent invention applied to the handle of a golf club.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, a preferred form of grip G embodying thepresent invention utilizes an elongated composite two-piece strip Swhich is spirally wrapped around a resilient underlisting sleeve U whichis slipped onto the handle of a golf club GC as shown in FIGS. 24-27.Such strip may also be applied to the handle of other imparting devices(not shown) such as a tennis racquet.

More particularly, strip S is fabricated from first and secondindividual segments S1 and S2 of different widths, with segment S1preferably being wider than segment S2. Segment S1 includes apolyurethane layer P1 and a backing layer B1, preferably of felt. Theunderside of the backing layer B1 is originally covered with aconventional double adhesive-sided peel-off tape T. All or substantiallyall of the upper surface of polyurethane layer P1 is heat embossed witha friction enhancing pattern F engaged by a golfer's hands by means of amethod described hereinafter.

More particularly, referring to FIGS. 1-15 there is shown a preferredmethod of making the wider segment S1 from a roll 30 ofpolyurethane-felt material. The felt layer B1 is formed of a suitableopen-pored material such as nylon, cotton, wool or the like, and has itsupper or outer surface bonded to the lower surface of the polyurethanelayer P1. The polyurethane layer P1 is formed with pores (not shown)which extend vertically, i.e., generally normal to the longitudinal axisof the strip S and racquet handle or golf club handle when the grip hasbeen affixed to such handle. The polyurethane layer P1 may be formed ina conventional manner by coating one side of a felt strip with asolution of polyurethane (e.g., polyester or polyether) dissolved in adimethyl formamide (DMF), immersing the coated strip in water baths todisplace the DMF and cause the urethanes to coagulate, and finallydriving off the water by the application of pressure and heat. In thismanner, the pores will extend perpendicularly relative to thelongitudinal axis of the strip, while the underside of the polyurethanelayer P1 is bonded to the upper surface of the felt strip. Othermaterials may be substituted for felt as a backing layer B1 to providestrength for polyurethane layer P1, e.g., a synthetic plastic such as anethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, commonly known as EVA.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-5, there is shown an arrangement for cutting ablank SB from roll 30 from which is formed a wider segment S1 or stripS. In FIG. 2, a panel 34 of the polyurethane-felt material is cut fromroll 30. By way of example the width of such panel can be 42 inches, andthe length 12 inches. A plurality of wider segment blanks SB can be cutfrom the panel 34 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, with each such strip havinga width of ¾ inch by way of example. A resulting blank SB is shown inFIGS. 4 and 5. In FIGS. 6 and 7 the sides of the polyurethane layer P1of the blank are shown being formed with recessed reinforcement edges 35and 36 as by means of heated rollers 37, 38, and 39 such as shown in myU.S. Pat. No. 6,203,308. In FIG. 8, the sides of the felt layer B areshown being skived as by rotating knives 41 and 42 in a conventionalmanner so as to define the slanted side edges 43 and 44 of a completedwider segment S1 of composite strip S.

Referring now to FIGS. 10-12, there is shown a heated steel die Dutilized to form a friction enhancing pattern F on the upper surface ofthe wider segment blank SB. Die D includes a bottom half 52 and acomplementary upper half 54. Upper die half 54 is vertically movablerelative to the lower die half by power-operated plungers 56 in aconventional manner. The underside of upper die half 54 is engraved todefine friction enhancing pattern F. A cavity 58 is formed between theupper and bottom die halves to removably receive a wider segment blankSB that is to be formed with pattern F. With blank SB disposed in thecavity, upper die-half 54 is urged downwardly into the polyurethanelayer P1 so as to partially permanently depress such layer andconcurrently heat emboss pattern F upon the upper surface of such layer.Such heat embossing increases the density of the polyurethane layer witha resulting increase in the strength of this layer. The magnitude ofdensity increase is generally proportional to the thickness of the stripS. By way of example, where the strip thickness is 1.8 mm, the feltlayer can be 1.4 mm as compared to a 0.4 mm polyurethane layer, and thepolyurethane layer can be decreased in thickness 0.07-0.1 mm. Heatembossing the polyurethane layer P also renders such layer substantiallywater-tight. FIG. 16 shows the upper surface of the wider segment S1embossed with friction enhancing pattern F.

Friction enhancing pattern F includes a large number of small repetitiveshapes 59, such as squares or diamonds, with the interstices 60 of theseshapes cooperating to collect water that may accumulate on the outersurface of the wider segment. When a grip G utilizing the wider segmentS1 is wetted, as by rain, water collected in these interstices 60 can bereadily removed by wiping the grip with a towel (not shown). The grip isthen immediately ready for continued play despite the rain. During dryplaying conditions, friction enhancing pattern F resists slippagebetween grip G and a golfer's hands.

Referring now to FIG. 17, the entire underside of backing layer B1 ofwider segment S1 is provided with an adhesive 62 initially covered in aconventional manner by a peel-away tape T. Peel-away tape T includes ascore line 63 over skived edge 43 which defines a thin band TB which canbe pulled off the main body of tape T to expose adhesive 62 disposed onone edge of wider segment S1, while the tapes' main body remains on theadhesive covering the remainder of the wider segment S1.

Narrower segment S2 includes an open-pored bottom backing layer,generally designated B2, (preferably of felt), having an inner or bottomsurface which is adhered to underlisting sleeve U. Segment S2 alsoincludes a top layer P2 of a suitable resilient plastic material such aspolyurethane, with the polyurethane layer being bonded to the uppersurface of its adjacent backing layer B2. The polyurethane layer ofstrip segment S2 may be formed in a conventional manner by coating afelt strip with one or more solutions of polyurethane (e.g., polyesteror polyether) dissolved in a dimethyl formamide (DMF), immersing thecoated strip in water baths to displace the DMF and cause the urethaneto coagulate, and finally driving off the water by the application ofpressure and heat. In this manner, pores are formed (not shown), whilethe underside of the polyurethane layer is bonded to the upper surfaceof the felt layer. The thickness of the polyurethane layer is preferablyabout 0.2-1.40 millimeters and the thickness of the felt layer is about0.7-1.90 millimeters.

The felt layer B2 serves as a backing layer for the polyurethane layerP2 and so as to provide strength for the polyurethane. The felt alsocooperates with the polyurethane to assist in cushioning the shocksapplied to a grip when a golf ball is struck by a golf club. It shouldbe noted that other materials may be substituted for the felt as abacking layer to provide strength for the polyurethane and to cushionshocks, e.g., a synthetic plastic such as an ethylene-vinyl acetatecopolymer, commonly known as EVA. The felt may be fabricated ofconventional suitable materials such as nylon, cotton, polyester or thelike.

Referring now to FIG. 21, the side edges of the polyurethane layer P2 ofsegment S2 are formed with sidewardly and outwardly extendingreinforcement side edges 70 and 71. The side edges of the felt layer B2of segment S2 have been skived to form outwardly and upwardly slantedside edges 72 and 73. The underside of segment S2 is covered with anadhesive 74 initially covered by a peel-away tape T2. To combinesegments S1 and S2 into composite strip S, the band TB of peel-away tapeT is pulled off segment S1 as shown in FIG. 17. A skived side edge 43 ofsegment S1 is then placed on top of reinforced side edge 70 of segmentS2, as shown in FIG. 21 and pressed onto segment S2. The strip S is thencut on both ends to provide the leading edge and trailing edges 77 and78, as shown in FIGS. 22 and 23.

It should be particularly noted that the upper area of polyurethanelayer of segment S2 inwardly of the recessed side edges is embossed withdepressed indicia I, such as the name of the manufacturer of the golfclub grip. Such embossing serves not only as a decorative enhancement ofthe golf club grip, but additionally, the embossing process densitiesthe polyurethane layer P2 so as to reduce stretching of the secondsegment and thereby cooperates with strip S1 to increase the hoopstrength of the composite strip S. It is also desirable to mold thepolyurethane layer P1 of segment S1 in a first color while polyurethanelayer P2 of segment S2 is molded in a second color that contrasts withthe first color. With this arrangement, a multicolored grip having apleasing appearance will result when the composite strip S is spirallywrapped about an underlisting sleeve.

Referring now to FIGS. 24-27, there is shown a resilient rubber-likeunderlisting U which can be utilized in forming a slip-on grip G of thepresent invention. Underlisting sleeve U is fabricated of a syntheticplastic foam or rubber utilizing an integral cap 80. Below the cap 80there is formed a groove (not shown) to receive the starting end 82 of acompleted composite strip S described hereinabove (FIG. 22). The lowerend of the sleeve U is formed with an integral nipple 84. The upperportion of the nipple is provided with a resilient lip 85. To applycomposite strip S to the underlisting sleeve U, the protective tapes T1and T2 are peeled-off of the underside of strips S1 and S2 to exposeadhesives 62 and 74. As the strip S is wrapped around the underlistingsleeve U, the underside of the skived side edges of the polyurethanelayers P1 and P2 overlap the recessed side edges with such edges beingsecured together in a water-tight manner by the adhesives. When thelower edge of the composite strip S has been spirally wound to aposition wherein its lower edge is disposed in horizontal alignment withthe upper portion of the nipple 84, lip 85 is folded downwardly, and thelower portion of the strip is wrapped about the upper portion of thenipple. The lip 85 is then snapped back to its original position, andwill securely retain the lower end of the composite strip S on thenipple to prevent unraveling of the strip and also provide a nicelyfinished appearance of the grip. It should be understood that theunderlisting sleeve U may be disposed upon a conventional collapsiblemandrel MA as the strip is wrapped therearound. After the strip andsleeve combination is removed from the mandrel MA such combination willdefine the aforedescribed strip G which is slipped over the handle of agolf club, as shown in FIG. 27.

The tight fit between the nipple lip 85 and the lower portion of thecomposite strip S enhances the resistance to unraveling of the sideedges of the strip provided by the increased hoop strength obtained byembossing the upper surface of strip segments S1 and S2. Accordingly, agrip embodying the present invention will resist unraveling over anextended period of use by a golfer. Additionally, it should beunderstood that the golf club grip of the present invention provides anall weather grip which can resist twisting of a golf club handlerelative to a golfer's hands under both wet and dry conditions. Underrainy conditions the grip can be maintained dry by merely wiping it offwith a towel. Under dry conditions the friction generated between agolfer's hands and the repetitive shapes 59 of the friction enhancingpattern F resists twisting of a golf club handle without requiring thegolfer to tightly grasp the grip. The densification of the polyurethanelayers of strips S1 and S2 during the heat embossing thereof alsostrengthens the grip resulting in a light weight construction permittinga higher club-head speed with no loss of accuracy. Finally, the frictionenhancing pattern F combined with the indicia I affords a distinctiveappearance for the grip.

Various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit andscope of the present invention. By way of example, the golf club gripmay be formed of a composite strip of more than two segments. Also, thesegments may be of equal width. Accordingly, it is not intended that theinvention be limited, except by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of making an elongated composite stripfor use in golf club grips, said method including the steps of:providing a first segment blank having a polyurethane layer over abacking layer; heat embossing a friction enhancing pattern upon theupper surface of the polyurethane layer of the first strip blank engagedby a golfer's hands, the friction enhancing pattern defining watercollection interstices, with water collected in such interstices beingreadily wiped off to dry the outside of the strip; such heat embossingdensifying the polyurethane layer and also rendering the upper surfacethereof substantially water-tight; providing a second segment stripblank having a polyurethane layer over a backing layer; forming heatembossing depressed decorative indicia on the upper surface of thesecond segment strip blank; and adhesively attaching a side edge of thefirst segment strip blank to a side edge of the second strip blank todefine said elongated composite strip.
 2. A method as set forth in claim1, wherein the backing layer is of felt.
 3. A method as set forth inclaim 1, wherein the backing layer includes an EVA.
 4. A method ofmaking an elongated composite strip for use in golf club grips, saidmethod including the steps of: providing a resilient underlistingsleeve; providing a first segment blank having a polyurethane layer overa backing layer; forming heat compressed radially inward extendingreinforcement side edges in the polyurethane layer of the first segmentstrip blank; forming slanted side edges in the backing layer of thefirst segment strip blank; heat embossing a friction enhancing patternupon the upper surface of the polyurethane layer of the first stripblank engaged by a golfer's hands, the friction enhancing patterndefining water collection interstices, with water collected in suchinterstices being readily wiped off to dry the outside of the strip;such heat embossing densifying the polyurethane layer and also renderingthe upper surface thereof substantially water-tight; providing a secondsegment strip blank having a polyurethane layer over a backing layer;forming heat compressed radially inwardly extending reinforcement sideedges in the polyurethane layer of the second segment strip blank;forming heat embossing depressed decorative indicia on the upper surfaceof the second segment strip blank; forming slanted side edges in thebacking layer of the second segment strip blank; adhesively attaching aside edge of the first segment strip blank to a side edge of the secondstrip blank to define an elongated composite strip; and spirallywrapping the composite strip about the underlisting sleeve and adheringthe composite strip to the underlisting sleeve with the reinforcementside edges overlapping one another and being adhesively secured togetherin a water-tight manner.
 5. A method as set forth in claim 4, whereinthe backing layer is of felt.
 6. A method as set forth in claim 4,wherein the backing layer includes an EVA.
 7. A method of making aslip-on golf club grip, said method including the steps of: providing afirst segment blank having a polyurethane layer over a backing layer;forming heat embossing depressed decorative indicia on the upper surfaceof the second segment strip blank engaged by a golfer's hands, thefriction enhancing pattern defining water collection interstices, withwater collected in such interstices being readily wiped off to dry theoutside of the strip; providing a second segment strip blank having apolyurethane layer over a backing layer; adhesively attaching a sideedge of the first segment strip blank to a side edge of the second stripblank to define an elongated composite strip; providing a resilientunderlisting sleeve; and spirally wrapping about and adhering thecomposite strip to the resilient underlisting sleeve with the adhesivelyattached side edges overlapping one another in a water-tight manner. 8.A method as set forth in claim 7, the backing layer is of felt.
 9. Amethod as set forth in claim 7, wherein the backing layer includes anEVA.